GOKARNA (UTTARA KANNADA): Those visiting Gokarna nowadays are treated to mellifluous notes of flute. If one searches for its source, it leads them to a Mahaganapathi temple, considered one of the oldest in the country. Here, a Japanese woman is seen sitting cross-legged and playing the instrument.
“She comes in the morning, sits at the same place, takes out a small brass idol of Lord Krishna and starts playing. She says her name is Zoko. We have learned that she is here on a tourist visa. She does not speak to anybody. She leaves by evening,” said Sriram Sure, a social worker.
“We are surprised with her way of busking,” said Vinayak Shastri, a priest at Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Temple, which is next to the Mahaganapathi temple where Zoko sits. She does not seek alms, but keeps a plate with the idol of Lord Krishna and plays the flute. She is quite an attraction here, as people gather around, take selfies and upload them on social media sites. Many also donate generously.
This is not the first time a foreign national is seen begging here. A couple of years ago, a woman from France was seen busking by playing violin on the streets and beaches of Gokarna.